Thursday, 27 June 2013

Witton Castle

Hey Casper! Photo by Christine Percival

We spent Saturday at the very beautiful Witton Castle Country Park - and it was the easiest day we have had all season! We arrived on Friday evening to a wide open field, that was flat and perfect. Having been told we could set up wherever we liked we did just that, before having some yummy omelettes and settling down for the night.

In the morning we decided that we'd do the two separate shows rather than the one combined show, as it would fit in better with the day, and we went for 11.30am and 1pm display times. There was no other arena acts, it was literally just us in the arena we had built the evening before! It's a good job I packed extra fencing stakes, as it meant we had enough to build a perfect sized, round arena.

In the morning we turned the boys out into the arena, and after filling themselves up with as much grass as they could manage they both lay down and went to sleep! This is becoming a bit of a habit for them as they spent most of the morning the previous week fast asleep at Otley Carnival! Helen and I managed to set the whole arena up around them, all the posts and bunting, as well as Casper's cones, hoop, fetch toy and catching towel - neither of them batted an eyelid or moved a muscle the whole time we were busying around them, lazy boys! You can see the photos here.

Before long it was time for Casper's show, and luckily he had managed to rouse himself! He did a lovely show, and was really calm and steady, an absolute pleasure to vault on - I even managed to throw in a couple of new moves! It was a welcome change from the last couple of weeks that's for sure! We were really lucky with the weather as well, as even though it kept threatening to pour with rain it never actually did (until we were packing away that is!), and it was actually quite sunny for a lot of the time. Tinker's show went really well as well, and I did my new moves yet again. I was especially please with him at the very end of the show, as he came out of the arena and did a whole lap before stopping of his own accord by the arena gate - very good as when he's bridleless I have no way of making him do this if he doesn't want to!

Helen had driven up separately in her car, as she had to make a quick getaway in the afternoon. It was probably the quickest exit ever, as even having packed all the stables and the tent she managed to get away for 2pm! Lily and I finished up and we left at 3pm, meaning we were home by 4.30pm which is very unusual but extremely welcome!

It's going to be a different story this weekend as we're at Tain Gala, up in the Highlands of Scotland. It's 384 miles one way, so is going to be a long drive! I'll let you know how we get on next week.